'Cathy Woodhead, author (Left), with illustrator Robert Cadwalader at the opening of the exhibition about Cathy's book ‘The Loss of The Criccieth Castle’. Y Stiwdio Cricieth, 16 June
‘The Loss of The Criccieth Castle’ was launched on Sunday 17 June at pm at Sŵn y Môr (next to Blue China LL52 0HL). Exhibits from research into the book were on display at the launch. Cathy Woodhead read extracts from the book, answered questions and sold signed copies. 'The Loss of The Criccieth Castle' is a true account of survival in the South Atlantic. It contains several paintings by the Criccieth artist, Robert Dafydd Cadwalader. Catherine Thomas from Llangybi near Pwllheli travelled the world with her ship's captain husband, Robert Thomas from Criccieth in the early 1900s, then on 15th July 1912 disaster struck their vessel, the Criccieth Castle. It was mid-winter, in what is perhaps the stormiest region of the world, and for the next eight days the ship's company endured the most terrible sufferings. Seven men were drowned, and one by one the others died of hunger, thirst and the fearful cold. Day after day the captain stood at the steering-oar, watching his wife and four-year-old son lying helpless in the water at the bottom of the leaking lifeboat. Finally, when the survivors were too weak to pull on the oars or to hoist the sail, deliverance came. Cathy Woodhead has been researching the story for the past three years and Cathy received material from the granddaughter of Catherine and Robert Thomas. She has also discovered many of the ship’s crew lists, and other documents plus photographs and many newspaper cuttings. The result is a real glimpse into the extremely harsh conditions of life on board a three-masted iron sailing ship, not to mention the brutal time in the open life boat in sub-zero temperatures for days on end without food or drink. Maritime Criccieth Exhibition at Y Stiwdio (Rear of Beach Bank LL52 0HH) am to pm. Will be open from Saturday 16 June to Sunday 24 June (inclusive). Photographs and paintings of Criccieth's maritime links and research for the book '
Size: 2848px × 4288px
Location: Criccieth Gwynedd Wales UK
Photo credit: © Michael Gibson / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: art, author, book, borth, cadwalader, castle, cathy, criccieth, cricieth, dafydd, delfryn, falklands, festival, fringe, gest, gwasge, illustrator, launch, porthmadog, publications, robert, ship, sink, stiwdio, survival, survivor, survivors, woodhead
